Optical level control system

ABSTRACT

A perfusion system includes a fluid reservoir configured to hold a portion of fluid, the portion of fluid having a volume, the fluid reservoir having a total capacity that is greater than the volume; an imaging device, the imaging device configured to obtain image data corresponding to the fluid reservoir; and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the image data from the imaging device; determine the volume based on the image data; and facilitate control, in response to at least one of a user input and the determined volume of the portion of fluid, of an operating parameter corresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitate changing or maintaining the volume of the portion of the fluid.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates generally to perfusion and autotransfusionsystems and more particularly to a blood reservoir monitored using animaging device.

BACKGROUND

Perfusion entails encouraging physiological solutions, such as blood,through vessels in the body or some portion of the body of a human orother animal. Perfusion can be employed in intracorporeal andextracorporeal circulation, such as during cardiopulmonary bypasssurgery and other surgeries and during various therapeutic treatments.Perfusion is useful in maintaining the viability of body parts, such asspecific organs or limbs, while the body part remains within the body orwhile the body part is exterior to the body, such as for transplantationor temporarily removal of a body part to provide access to other bodystructures. Perfusion can be used for a short period of time, such asless than about six hours, or for extended periods of time, such asgreater than about six hours.

Sometimes, blood perfusion systems include one or more pumps in anextracorporeal circuit that is interconnected with the vascular systemof a patient. Typically, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery utilizes aperfusion system that allows for the temporary cessation of the heart byreplacing the functions of the heart and lungs, which creates a stilloperating field and allows for the surgical correction of problems, suchas vascular stenosis, valvular disorders, and congenital heart and greatvessel defects. Perfusion systems for cardiopulmonary bypass surgeryinclude an extracorporeal blood circuit that includes at least one pumpand an oxygenation device to replace the functions of the heart andlungs.

In cardiopulmonary bypass procedures, oxygen-poor blood is removed froma large vein entering the heart or from other veins (e.g., a femoralvein) in the body and transferred through a venous line in theextracorporeal circuit. In embodiments, the blood may be removed viadrainage (e.g., by gravity-draining the blood, kinetic drainage via apump, etc.), vacuum suctioning, and/or the like. The venous blood ispumped to an oxygenator that provides for oxygen transfer to the blood.Oxygen may be introduced into the blood by transfer across a membraneor, less frequently, by bubbling oxygen through the blood. Concurrently,carbon dioxide is removed across the membrane. The oxygenated blood isthen returned through an arterial line to the aorta, femoral, or othermain artery.

The perfusionist often uses level sensors only for pump emergency shutoff, when the blood level in the reservoir goes below a safe minimumvalue. One of the perfusionist's most important tasks is to continuouslykeep the reservoir blood level/volume under visual control, by manuallyregulating the venous blood flow entering the reservoir, by acting onthe venous clamp, or, if present, by alternatively acting on the vacuumapplied to the reservoir. Additionally, the arterial pump may also bemanually adjusted, if necessary, in order to regulate the arterial bloodflow exiting the reservoir. This task requires constant attention by theperfusionist who has to keep the reservoir under strict visual control,throughout the case.

The reservoir blood level control is important in cardiac surgery. Infact, a certain amount (variable during the case, according to changingneeds) of venous blood typically has to be kept in the reservoir at alltime. The reservoir may have multiple shapes and sizes and may be rigid(hardshell) or flexible (soft bags). The conventional level sensorsbased on ultrasonic, capacitive or pressure measurements are often toolarge when used with very small reservoirs for neonatal cases.Additionally, they rarely have the capability to provide a continuousmonitoring over the whole reservoir volume or height, but rather monitoronly one level or range of levels. Furthermore conventional levelsensors are not configured to translate the measured level into avolume.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of perfusion systems described herein are able to measureand control the fluid level in a fluid reservoir by providing an imageof the reservoir and of the fluid contained therein on a screen (and/oran abstracted representation thereof), and by enabling user interactionwith the screen image so as to provide a heart lung machine (HLM) withinputs to facilitate automatically maintaining the amount of fluid inthe reservoir at a desired value. Embodiments of the system include animaging device (e.g., optical sensor, camera, etc.) configured toreproduce an image and/or shape of the reservoir. The system may includea control panel having a display device on which the reservoir image (orreservoir representation) is shown and with which the perfusionist setsthe desired working value for the fluid in the reservoir. Embodiments ofthe system further include an HLM control unit that, by means of adedicated fail safe operative mode, is able to automatically maintainthe fluid in the reservoir at the desired value by, for example, actingon a venous clamp, a vacuum regulator, an arterial pump, and/or thelike.

In an Example 1, a perfusion system comprises: a fluid reservoirconfigured to hold a portion of fluid, the portion of fluid having avolume, the fluid reservoir having a total capacity that is greater thanthe volume; an imaging device, the imaging device configured to obtainimage data corresponding to the fluid reservoir; and a controllerconfigured to: receive the image data from the imaging device; determinethe volume based on the image data; and facilitate control, in responseto at least one of a user input and the determined volume of the portionof fluid, of an operating parameter corresponding to the fluid reservoirto facilitate changing or maintaining the volume of the portion of thefluid.

In an Example 2, the system of Example 1, wherein the imaging devicecomprises at least one of a camera, a photoconductive sensor, aphotodiode, a phototransistor, a photovoltaic sensor, and a chargecoupled device (CCD) sensor.

In an Example 3, the system of either of Examples 1 or 2, wherein thecontroller is further configured to provide, via a control panel havinga display device and based on the image data, a graphical user interface(GUI), the GUI comprising a representation of the fluid reservoir, therepresentation of the fluid reservoir comprising a representation of theportion of fluid, the representation including a representation of thevolume.

In an Example 4, the system of any of Examples 1-3, the imaging devicefurther comprising a virtual curtain having an opening disposedtherethrough, the opening having a shape that corresponds to a shape ofthe fluid reservoir, wherein the curtain is configured to facilitatepositioning, maintaining positioning, and/or monitoring positioning ofthe imaging device in relation to the fluid reservoir, and/or, aftersetup, upon detecting dislocation of the reservoir.

In an Example 5, the system of either of Examples 3 or 4, wherein therepresentation of the fluid reservoir is configured to resemble a fluidreservoir, and wherein the representation of the volume is configured toresemble liquid within the fluid reservoir.

In an Example 6, the system of any of Examples 3-5, wherein therepresentation of the fluid reservoir is an interactive representation,and wherein the controller is configured to receive a user inputassociated with the interactive representation of the portion of fluidand, in response to receiving the user input, facilitate adjusting anoperating parameter corresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitatechanging or maintaining the volume of the portion of fluid.

In an Example 7, the system of Example 6, wherein the user inputcomprises manipulation, by a user of a feature of the interactiverepresentation of the fluid reservoir.

In an Example 8, the system of any of Examples 1-7, wherein thecontroller is configured to facilitate control of the operatingparameter corresponding to the fluid reservoir by causing a heart lungmachine (HLM) control unit to adjust an operating parametercorresponding to the fluid reservoir.

In an Example 9, the system of any of Examples 1-7, wherein thecontroller includes a heart lung machine (HLM) control unit, and whereinthe HLM control unit is configured to adjust an operating parametercorresponding to the fluid reservoir.

In an Example 10, the system of either of Examples 8 or 9, wherein theHLM control unit is configured to control at least one of a venousclamp, a vacuum regulator, and an arterial pump.

In an Example 11, the system of any of Examples 3-10, the GUI furthercomprising interactive representations configured to facilitate userselection of at least one of an alarm level, an alarm volume, and afluid volume set point.

In an Example 12, the system of any of Examples 1-11, wherein thecontroller is configured to facilitate control of an operating parametercorresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitate continually changingthe volume of the portion of fluid about a fluid volume set point.

In an Example 13, the system of any of Examples 1-12, wherein thecontroller is configured to: write a pixel test pattern to an imagingdevice memory, the pixel test pattern comprising a pattern of pixelshaving one or more pixel groups having values of at least one of colorand intensity that are not expected to occur naturally in the imagingenvironment; and determine whether, during a next data acquisitioncycle, the pixel test pattern is replaced with an acquired image.

In an Example 14, the system of any of Examples 1-13, wherein thecontroller is configured to detect frozen images by: generating an imagetest pattern; causing, using an optical mixer, the image test pattern tobe projected on an image sensor of the imaging device together with theimage data, the image data comprising a pattern associated with thefluid reservoir; and comparing the image test pattern to the patternassociated with the fluid reservoir, wherein, if the image test patternis at least approximately identical to the pattern associated with thefluid reservoir, the controller is configured to accept the image data.

In an Example 15, a method of performing perfusion, using a perfusionsystem having a fluid reservoir configured to hold a portion of fluid,the portion of fluid having a volume, the method comprising: receiving,by a controller and from an imaging device, image data corresponding tothe fluid reservoir; determining the volume based on the image data;providing, via a control panel having a display device and based on theimage data, a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising arepresentation of the fluid reservoir, the representation of the fluidreservoir comprising a representation of the portion of fluid, therepresentation including a representation of the volume; andfacilitating control, in response to at least one of a user input andthe determined volume of the portion of fluid, of an operating parametercorresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitate changing ormaintaining the volume of the portion of fluid.

In an Example 16, the method of Example 15, further comprisingproviding, via a control panel having a display device and based on theimage data, a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising arepresentation of the fluid flow reservoir, the representation of thefluid reservoir comprising a representation of the portion of fluid, therepresentation including a representation of the volume.

In an Example 17, the method of Example 16, wherein the representationof the fluid reservoir is an interactive representation, the methodfurther comprising: receiving a user input associated with theinteractive representation of the portion of fluid; and in response toreceiving the user input, facilitating adjusting an operating parametercorresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitate changing ormaintaining the volume of the portion of fluid.

In an Example 18, the method of any of Examples 15-17, wherein thefacilitating control of the operating parameter corresponding to thefluid reservoir comprises causing a heart lung machine (HLM) controlunit to adjust an operating parameter corresponding to the fluidreservoir.

In an Example 19, the method of any of Examples 15-18, wherein thecontroller includes a heart lung machine (HLM) control unit, and whereinthe HLM control unit is configured to adjust an operating parametercorresponding to the fluid reservoir.

In an Example 20, the method of either of Examples 18 or 19, wherein theHLM control unit is configured to control at least one of a venousclamp, a vacuum regulator, and an arterial pump.

In an Example 21, a perfusion system comprises: a fluid reservoirconfigured to hold a portion of fluid, the portion of fluid having avolume, the fluid reservoir having a total capacity that is greater thanthe volume; an imaging device, the imaging device configured to obtainimage data corresponding to the fluid reservoir; and a controllerconfigured to: receive the image data from the imaging device; determinethe volume based on the image data; provide, via a control panel havinga display device and based on the image data, a graphical user interface(GUI), the GUI comprising a representation of the fluid reservoir, therepresentation of the fluid reservoir comprising a representation of theportion of fluid, the representation including a representation of thevolume; and cause, in response to at least one of a user input and thedetermined volume of the portion of fluid, a heart lung machine (HLM)control unit to control an operating parameter corresponding to thefluid reservoir to facilitate changing or maintaining the volume of theportion of fluid.

While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of thepresently disclosed subject matter will become apparent to those skilledin the art from the following detailed description, which shows anddescribes illustrative embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded asillustrative in nature and not restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative perfusionsystem, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of an illustrative curtain, in accordancewith embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative pixel test pattern, in accordance withembodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram depicting an illustrative process fordetecting frozen images, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosedsubject matter.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram depicting an illustrative method of performingperfusion, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed subjectmatter.

While the disclosed subject matter is amenable to various modificationsand alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way ofexample in the drawings and are described in detail below. Theintention, however, is not to limit the subject matter disclosed hereinto the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the disclosureis intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternativesfalling within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein, and asdefined by the appended claims.

As used herein in association with values (e.g., terms of magnitude,measurement, and/or other degrees of qualitative and/or quantitativeobservations that are used herein with respect to characteristics (e.g.,dimensions, measurements, attributes, components, etc.) and/or rangesthereof, of tangible things (e.g., products, inventory, etc.) and/orintangible things (e.g., data, electronic representations of currency,accounts, information, portions of things (e.g., percentages,fractions), calculations, data models, dynamic system models,algorithms, parameters, etc.), “about” and “approximately” may be used,interchangeably, to refer to a value, configuration, orientation, and/orother characteristic that is equal to (or the same as) the stated value,configuration, orientation, and/or other characteristic or equal to (orthe same as) a value, configuration, orientation, and/or othercharacteristic that is reasonably close to the stated value,configuration, orientation, and/or other characteristic, but that maydiffer by a reasonably small amount such as will be understood, andreadily ascertained, by individuals having ordinary skill in therelevant arts to be attributable to measurement error; differences inmeasurement and/or manufacturing equipment calibration; human error inreading and/or setting measurements; adjustments made to optimizeperformance and/or structural parameters in view of other measurements(e.g., measurements associated with other things); particularimplementation scenarios; imprecise adjustment and/or manipulation ofthings, settings, and/or measurements by a person, a computing device,and/or a machine; system tolerances; control loops; machine-learning;foreseeable variations (e.g., statistically insignificant variations,chaotic variations, system and/or model instabilities, etc.);preferences; and/or the like.

Although the term “block” may be used herein to connote differentelements illustratively employed, the term should not be interpreted asimplying any requirement of, or particular order among or between,various blocks disclosed herein. Similarly, although illustrativemethods may be represented by one or more drawings (e.g., flow diagrams,communication flows, etc.), the drawings should not be interpreted asimplying any requirement of, or particular order among or between,various steps disclosed herein. However, certain embodiments may requirecertain steps and/or certain orders between certain steps, as may beexplicitly described herein and/or as may be understood from the natureof the steps themselves (e.g., the performance of some steps may dependon the outcome of a previous step). Additionally, a “set,” “subset,” or“group” of items (e.g., inputs, algorithms, data values, etc.) mayinclude one or more items, and, similarly, a subset or subgroup of itemsmay include one or more items. A “plurality” means more than one.

As used herein, the term “based on” is not meant to be restrictive, butrather indicates that a determination, identification, prediction,calculation, and/or the like, is performed by using, at least, the termfollowing “based on” as an input. For example, predicting an outcomebased on a particular piece of information may additionally, oralternatively, base the same determination on another piece ofinformation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to an imaging device that can beused to monitor a blood level or blood volume in a blood reservoir. Inembodiments, the imaging device can be utilized in an integratedperfusion system. In embodiments, the imaging device is focused on thefluid reservoir and able to provide and reproduce the image of the sameon a graphical user interface (GUI) in real time. In embodiments, if thereservoir has volume graduations printed on its transparent body, theGUI image shows both blood level and volume, regardless of the reservoirshape and size. If not, embodiments of the image include only the bloodlevel. In such a case, if the volume value is also desired, the levelcan be converted into volume, e.g., by considering the shape (e.g.,geometry) of the fluid reservoir. This can be done in several ways.

For instance, a fluid reservoir database may include informationassociated with different types of reservoirs and, by detecting anidentification (ID) indicator (or receiving a user input), (e.g., a QRcode, barcode, RFID tag, etc.) using an ID sensor integrated in theimaging device and/or HLM, the type of reservoir may be identified andinformation about the reservoir ascertained based on the type ofreservoir. In embodiments, the information about the reservoir mayinclude a look-up table for converting levels into volumes. Inembodiments, the use of an appropriate multiple optical sensor ordigital camera as the imaging device may enable the system toreconstruct the image of the reservoir external shape and, based on thatreconstruction, to convert the measured blood level into volume.

According to embodiments, the user (e.g., perfusionist) can interactwith the GUI image such as, for example, by choosing and setting thelevel/volume at which blood is to be maintained in the reservoir. Also,minimum and/or maximum levels/volumes may be set by interacting with theGUI image and/or may be sent via a data connection or other interface tothe device. In this manner, the desired amount of blood to be kept inthe reservoir can be modified at any time. Embodiments of the systeminclude autodiagnosis functionality that may be configured to facilitateavoiding an incorrect acquisition of information, which may lead toreservoir overflow, emptying, or false acquisitions. Embodiments of thesystem may also be used, for instance, in autotransfusion and otherclinical applications, where the amount of blood or liquids containedinto a reservoir are kept under automatic control by a processorregulating the blood or liquids entering and/or exiting the reservoir.

FIG. 1A is schematic block diagram depicting an illustrative perfusionsystem 100. According to embodiments, the perfusion system 100 includesa heart lung machine (HLM) 102, a fluid reservoir 104, an imaging device106, and a controller 108. In some embodiments, the HLM 102 can be anytype of HLM 102 and may include any number of different features. Thefluid reservoir 104 may be configured to hold a portion of fluid, theportion of fluid having a volume. The fluid reservoir 104 may include atotal capacity that is greater than the volume. In embodiments, thefluid reservoir 104 can be a venous blood reservoir, a vent bloodreservoir, a cardiotomy or suction blood reservoir, and/or the like. Inembodiments, the fluid reservoir 104 can be a blood reservoir thatcombines one or more of a venous blood reservoir, a vent reservoir,and/or a suction reservoir in a single structure. In embodiments, asensor system includes the imaging device 106 (of which the curtain 116may be an integral part), the controller 108, and the HLM control unit114. In embodiments, the sensor system may also, or alternatively,include the control panel 110 and/or the GUI 112. In embodiments, thecontrol panel 110 may be, be similar to, be included in, include, orotherwise correspond to the HLM control unit 114.

The imaging device 106 can be configured to periodically, continually,and/or continuously monitor a variable fluid level in the fluidreservoir 104. The imaging device 106 may be configured to obtain imagedata corresponding to the fluid reservoir 104. For example, inembodiments, the imaging device 106 may be, or include, a digitalcamera. In embodiments, the imaging device 106 may include any number ofother optical sensors such as, for example, photoconductive sensors,photodiodes, phototransistors, photovoltaic sensors, charge coupleddevice (CCD) sensors, and/or the like. The imaging device may be coupledto a disposable component (e.g., the fluid reservoir 104), the HLM 102,the controller 108, and/or the like. In embodiments, the imaging device106 may be a stand-alone device (and may include, e.g., a controller 108and/or a control panel 110).

The controller 108 may be configured to receive the image data from theimaging device 106 and determine, based on the image data, the fluidlevel in the fluid reservoir 104, the fluid volume in the fluidreservoir 104, the volume of the fluid reservoir 104, and/or the like.In embodiments, the controller 108 may be configured to determine thefluid volume in the fluid reservoir 104 based on the image data as wellas a known, or determined, shape of the fluid reservoir 104. Accordingto embodiments, the volume of the portion of fluid in the fluidreservoir 104 may be precisely controlled with a combination of look uptables and control algorithms (e.g., control loop feedback mechanismssuch as, for example, PID algorithms), able to set and maintain thevolume in the reservoir at a level requested by an operator or othersystem component.

In embodiments, the fluid reservoir 104 can include an ID indicator 105(e.g., an RFID tag, a QRC code, barcode, etc.) that provides thecontroller 108 with information pertaining to the known geometry of thefluid reservoir 104. According to embodiments, information containedwithin an ID indicator 105 and/or disposed on the reservoir (e.g., ascale stamped on the reservoir) 104 may be used to facilitate fail safeacquisitions of images (e.g., via a verification procedure,authentication procedure, etc.), a capability of calculating bloodvolume based on a scale stamped onto a reservoir and/or geometricalinformation contained in the ID indicator 105, and/or the like. Inembodiments, the volume of the fluid reservoir is calculated accordingto one or more of the techniques described in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/763,561, filed on Apr. 20, 2010, previously incorporated byreference herein. In some embodiments, the volume of the fluid reservoir104 is calculated by integrating the level of blood in the reservoiragainst the known cross-sectional area of the fluid reservoir 104 atvarious heights throughout the fluid reservoir 104.

If the fluid reservoir 104 is a hard shell blood reservoir, the knowngeometry of the fluid reservoir 104 can include the cross-sectional areaof the fluid reservoir 104, or a width and depth of the fluid reservoir104 as well as details on how the cross-sectional area varies relativeto height within the fluid reservoir 104. If the fluid reservoir 104 isa soft shell reservoir, the known geometry can be based at least in partupon a known lateral expansion rate of the soft shell reservoir relativeto the blood level within the fluid reservoir 104.

In embodiments, the controller 108 may be configured to provide, via acontrol panel 110 having a display device and based on the image data, agraphical user interface (GUI) 112, the GUI 112 including arepresentation of the fluid reservoir, the representation of the fluidreservoir including a representation of the portion of fluid, therepresentation including a representation of the volume. According toembodiments, the controller 108 communicates with the control panel 110,which may be, include, or be included within any number of differentcombinations of input/output (I/O) devices. For example, in embodiments,a control panel 110 may include an input device that can be used by theperfusionist to enter information that is not otherwise entered into oneor more of the HLM control units 114. An output device of the controlpanel 110 may be used by the HLM 102 to display pertinent information tothe perfusionist. In embodiments, the I/O device may include a key pad,a keyboard, a touch screen, a monitor, communication via a databus,and/or the like.

According to embodiments, the representations of the fluid reservoirand/or the portion of the fluid may be include any number of differenttypes of representations. For example, the representations may beindications (e.g., numerical values, small symbols, etc.), graphics(e.g., pictures, digitally created images, etc.), and/or the like. Forexample, in embodiments, the representation of the fluid reservoir isconfigured to resemble a fluid reservoir (e.g., the representation is adigitally-created depiction of the fluid reservoir, a photograph of thefluid reservoir, etc.), and, similarly, the representation of the volumemay be configured to resemble the fluid within the fluid reservoir. Thatis, for example, the representation of the volume may include a fluidlevel depicted on the representation of the fluid reservoir.

According to embodiments, the representation of the fluid reservoir mayinclude an interactive representation. That is, for example, thecontroller is configured to receive a user input associated with theinteractive representation of the portion of fluid and, in response toreceiving the user input, facilitate adjusting an operating parametercorresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitate changing ormaintaining the volume of the portion of fluid. In embodiments, forexample, the user input is, or includes, manipulation, by a user of afeature of the interactive representation of the fluid reservoir. Forexample, the representation of the fluid reservoir may include aninteractive representation of a fluid level that can be moved by theuser via a user input device, where movement of the representation ofthe fluid level causes the fluid level set point to be changed.According to embodiments, the GUI may further include interactiverepresentations configured to facilitate user selection of at least oneof an alarm level, an alarm volume, a fluid volume set point, and/or thelike. The interactive representations may include virtual sliders,knobs, dials, graphics, and/or the like.

In some embodiments, the controller 108 may be configured to facilitatecontrolling the HLM 102. For example, the controller 108 may beconfigured to facilitate control, in response to at least one of a userinput and the determined volume of the portion of fluid, of an operatingparameter corresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitate changing ormaintaining the volume of the portion of fluid. That is, for example, inembodiments the controller 108 may be, be similar to, include, or beincluded in an HLM control unit 114. In embodiments, the controller 108is configured to facilitate control of the operating parametercorresponding to the fluid reservoir by adjusting the operatingparameter corresponding to the fluid reservoir and/or by causing a heartlung machine (HLM) control unit 114 to adjust the operating parametercorresponding to the fluid, where the HLM control unit 114 is configuredto facilitate control of an operating parameter of the HLM 102.According to embodiments, the HLM control unit 114 may be configured tocontrol an operating parameter based on the at least one of the fluidlevel signal and the fluid volume signal. In embodiments, the HLMcontrol unit 114 may be configured to control the operating parameter bycontrolling at least one of a venous clamp, a vacuum regulator, and anarterial pump.

As indicated above, while the controller 108 is shown as a distinctelement and can be a standalone controller, in embodiments, thecontroller 108 may include an HLM control unit 114, be included in anHLM control unit 114, be included in the imaging device 106, and/or thelike. In embodiments, the HLM control unit 114 may represent one or morecontrol units associated with an HLM including, for example, controlunits corresponding to individual operational components (e.g., controlunits corresponding to pump modules), a main control unit, and/or thelike. For example, in embodiments, the HLM 102 may include a number ofpump modules, each of which includes a corresponding HLM control unit114. In embodiments, each HLM control unit 114 may be configured tooperate and monitor the operation of the corresponding pump module. Insome embodiments, each HLM control unit 114 includes one or more inputdevices (not illustrated), such as switches, knobs, buttons, and touchscreens, so the perfusionist can adjust the operation of thecorresponding pump module.

In embodiments, the imaging device 106 may create a virtual curtainaround the shape of the reservoir to facilitate obtaining a referencepoint to prevent false acquisitions in case the imaging device 106 isaccidentally moved away from the reservoir 104 or a foreign object isintroduced into the line of sight of the camera. As shown in FIGS. 1Aand 1B, the perfusion system 100 may include a virtual curtain 116. FIG.1A is a schematic diagram of the illustrative virtual curtain 116depicted in FIG. 1A in accordance with embodiments of the subject matterdisclosed herein. The virtual curtain 116 is may include an opening 118disposed therethrough, the opening 118 having a shape that correspondsto a shape of the fluid reservoir 104 such that the curtain 116 isconfigured to facilitate positioning of the imaging device 106 inrelation to the fluid reservoir 104. Accordingly, the virtual curtain116 may be considered to be an integral part of the safety functions andcontrol system of the imaging device 106. In embodiments, an alarm maybe generated in response to detecting, based on a captured image of thecurtain and fluid reservoir, that the imaging device 106 is notappropriately positioned. According to embodiments, the curtain 116 alsomay serve as a barrier to prevent false acquisitions due to foreignobjects entering into the optical pathway between the fluid reservoirand the imaging device 106.

According to embodiments, the perfusion system 100 may beself-monitoring and/or diagnosing. That is, for example, the controller108 may be configured to facilitate control of an operating parametercorresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitate continually changingthe volume of the portion of fluid about a fluid volume set point. Inembodiments, the controller 108 sends a signal to a functional component(e.g., the pump, electrical clamp, vacuum controller, etc.) in order tovary the fluid in the reservoir 104. If the imaging device and/oroptical sensor does not detect a variation of the fluid level within apredetermined amount of time, an alarm signal may be generated toindicate a fault in the regulation system.

. In embodiments, the controller 108 may be configured to write a pixeltest pattern to an imaging device memory; and to determine, whether,during a next data acquisition cycle, the pixel test pattern is replacedwith an acquired image. FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative pixel testpattern 200, in accordance with embodiments of the subject matterdisclosed herein. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, embodiments of thepixel test pattern 200 include a pattern of pixels 202 having one ormore pixel groups 204 having values of at least one of color andintensity that are not expected to occur naturally in the imagingenvironment. In embodiments, the pixel test pattern may be utilized aspart of a security function to determine whether the virtual system isupdating the acquired images correctly.

In embodiments, the controller 108 may be configured to detect frozenimages by using an image test pattern. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagramdepicting an illustrative process for detecting frozen images inaccordance with embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein. Inembodiments, as shown in FIG. 3, the controller 108 may be configured togenerate an image test pattern 302; and to cause, using an optical mixer304, the image test pattern to be projected on an image sensor 306 ofthe imaging device together with the image data. In embodiments, theimage data includes a pattern associated with the fluid reservoir. Thecontroller 108 may be further configured to compare the image testpattern to the pattern associated with the fluid reservoir, where, ifthe image test pattern is at least approximately identical to thepattern associated with the fluid reservoir, the controller isconfigured to determine that the image data is not associated with afrozen image and may, for example, be configured to accept the imagedata. In embodiments, for example, the image test pattern may include adigital clock that is compared to a representation of a digital clockgenerated by the controller 108.

With continued reference to FIG. 1A, the HLM 102 may further include anID sensor 120 configured to detect and/or otherwise obtain informationfrom, or corresponding to, the ID indicator 105. In embodiments, forexample, the ID sensor 120 may include a barcode reader, a QR codereader, or optical information reader, and the ID indicator 105 mayinclude a barcode, QR code, or other optical information. The IDindicator 105 may be part of the fluid reservoir 104 and programmed withor otherwise configured to include a variety of information pertainingto the fluid reservoir 104. In some embodiments, the ID indicator 105can be adhesively secured to the fluid reservoir 104. In someembodiments, the ID indicator 105 can be molded into the fluid reservoir104. In embodiments, the ID indicator 105 can be printed onto the fluidreservoir 104.

In embodiments, the ID indicator 105 may include data or identifyinginformation for the fluid reservoir 104, such as the name of theparticular fluid reservoir 104, a reference code, a serial number, a lotnumber, an expiration date, and/or the like. In embodiments, thisinformation may be communicated to the controller 108 and used toconfirm that the proper fluid reservoir 104 is being used for aparticular setting or patient. For example, the controller 108 mayrecognize that a pediatric blood reservoir of a certain model is beingused in combination with an adult-sized blood reservoir or thecontroller 108 may recognize that an expected component is missing. Thecontroller 108 may be configured to recognize potential mismatches inequipment as a result of the information provided by the ID indicator105 attached to each of the one or more fluid reservoirs 104.

In some embodiments, the ID indicator 105 may include descriptive ordesign information for the fluid reservoir 104, such as materials, alist of components, priming volume of a component or tubing circuit,tubing size, tubing length, minimum and maximum working pressures,minimum and maximum working volume, and blood reservoir sizinginformation, such as blood reservoir dimensions. In some embodiments,this information can be communicated to the controller 108 and used bythe controller 108 to at least partially configure and/or operate theHLM 102. For example, the controller 108 may be configured to use thesizing information provided from each of the fluid reservoirs 104 todetermine a working blood volume for the HLM 102.

In embodiments, the controller 108 may be configured to provide levelcontrol within the fluid reservoir 104. For example, the reservoir 104may be provided with one or more level sensors (e.g., the imaging device106) configured to sense a level of blood and/or other fluid within thereservoir 104. The sensed level can be used to activate alarms at theuser interface indicative of, for example, full reservoir, emptyreservoir, low level, and/or the like. The sensed level can also be usedin the closed loop feedback control of other parts of a perfusion systemwhich affect (and/or are affected by) the level of blood in thereservoir 104. For example, in embodiments portions of an HLM 102 may becontrolled based on sensed parameters such as, for example, pressure,level, temperature, and/or the like.

According to embodiments, the controller 108, the control panel 110, theHLM control unit 114, and/or the imaging device 106, may include aprocessing unit configured to communicate with memory to executecomputer-executable instructions stored in the memory. In embodiments,for example, the controller 108 may be, include, or be included in oneor more Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), one or more ProgrammableLogic Devices (PLDs), one or more Complex PLDs (CPLDs), one or morecustom Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), one or morededicated processors (e.g., microprocessors), one or more centralprocessing units (CPUs), software, hardware, firmware, or anycombination of these and/or other components. Although each of thecontroller 108, the control panel 110, the HLM control unit 114, and theimaging device 106 is referred to herein in the singular, the controller108, the control panel 110, the HLM control unit 114, and/or the imagingdevice 106 may be implemented in multiple instances, distributed acrossmultiple computing devices, instantiated within multiple virtualmachines, and/or the like.

As indicated above, the control panel 100 may include one or more I/Odevices, which may include any number of different types of I/O devicessuch as, for example, light indicators, speakers, buttons, and/or thelike. The I/O device(s) may be configured to present information to auser and/or receive input from a user. According to embodiments, the I/Odevice may be configured to indicate a device status (e.g., on/off,active, error, etc.), receive a command from a user, and/or the like. Inembodiments, the I/O device may include a touch-screen interface, anLED, and/or the like.

According to various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, anynumber of the components depicted in FIG. 1A (e.g., the controller 108,the control panel 110, the HLM control unit 114, the imaging device 106,etc.), may be implemented on one or more computing devices. A computingdevice may include any type of computing device suitable forimplementing aspects of embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.Examples of computing devices include specialized computing devices orgeneral-purpose computing devices such “workstations,” “servers,”“laptops,” “desktops,” “tablet computers,” “hand-held devices,”“portable sampling devices,” and the like, all of which are contemplatedwithin the scope of FIG. 1A, with reference to various components of thesystem 100.

In embodiments, a computing device includes a bus that, directly and/orindirectly, couples the following devices: a processing unit, a memory,an input/output (I/O) port, an I/O component, and a power supply. Anynumber of additional components, different components, and/orcombinations of components may also be included in the computing device.The I/O component may include a presentation component configured topresent information to a user such as, for example, a display device, aspeaker, a printing device, and/or the like, and/or an input componentsuch as, for example, a microphone, a joystick, a satellite dish, ascanner, a printer, a wireless device, a keyboard, a pen, a voice inputdevice, a touch input device, a touch-screen device, an interactivedisplay device, a mouse, and/or the like.

The bus represents what may be one or more busses (such as, for example,an address bus, data bus, or combination thereof). Similarly, inembodiments, the computing device may include a number of processingunits, a number of memory components, a number of I/O ports, a number ofI/O components, and/or a number of power supplies. Additionally anynumber of these components, or combinations thereof, may be distributedand/or duplicated across a number of computing devices.

In embodiments, the memory includes computer-readable media in the formof volatile and/or nonvolatile memory and may be removable,nonremovable, or a combination thereof. Media examples include RandomAccess Memory (RAM); Read Only Memory (ROM); Electronically ErasableProgrammable Read Only Memory (EEPROM); flash memory; optical orholographic media; magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic diskstorage or other magnetic storage devices; data transmissions; and/orany other medium that can be used to store information and can beaccessed by a computing device such as, for example, quantum statememory, and/or the like. In embodiments, the memory storescomputer-executable instructions for causing the processor to implementaspects of embodiments of system components discussed herein and/or toperform aspects of embodiments of methods and procedures discussedherein.

The computer-executable instructions may include, for example, computercode, machine-useable instructions, and the like such as, for example,program components capable of being executed by one or more processorsassociated with the computing device. Program components may beprogrammed using any number of different programming environments,including various languages, development kits, frameworks, and/or thelike. Some or all of the functionality contemplated herein may also, oralternatively, be implemented in hardware and/or firmware

The illustrative perfusion system 100 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B is notintended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use orfunctionality of embodiments of the present disclosure. The illustrativesystem 100 also should not be interpreted as having any dependency orrequirement related to any single component or combination of componentsillustrated therein. Additionally, various components depicted in FIG.1A may be, in embodiments, integrated with various ones of the othercomponents depicted therein (and/or components not illustrated), all ofwhich are considered to be within the ambit of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram depicting an illustrative method 400 ofperforming perfusion, using a perfusion system having a fluid reservoirconfigured to hold a portion of fluid, the portion of fluid having avolume. According to embodiments, aspects of the method 400 may beperformed by a controller such as, for example, the controller 108depicted in FIG. 1A. As shown in FIG. 4, embodiments of the method 400include receiving, by a controller and from an imaging device, imagedata corresponding to the fluid reservoir (block 402). For example, inembodiments, the imaging device may include a digital camera, opticalsensor, and/or the like.

Embodiments of the method 400 further include determining the volumebased on the image data (block 404); validating the acquired image data(block 406); and providing, via a control panel having a display deviceand based on the image data, a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUIcomprising a representation of the fluid reservoir, the representationof the fluid reservoir comprising a representation of the portion offluid, the representation including a representation of the volume(block 408). In embodiments, the representation of the fluid reservoiris an interactive representation, and the method 400 includes receivinga user input associated with the interactive representation of theportion of fluid; and in response to receiving the user input,facilitating adjusting an operating parameter corresponding to the fluidreservoir to facilitate changing or maintaining the volume of theportion of fluid.

As shown in FIG. 4, embodiments of the method 400 include facilitatingcontrol, in response to at least one of a user input and the determinedvolume of the portion of fluid, of an operating parameter correspondingto the fluid reservoir to facilitate changing or maintaining the volumeof the portion of fluid (block 410). In embodiments, facilitatingcontrol of the operating parameter corresponding to the fluid reservoirincludes causing a heart lung machine (HLM) control unit to adjust anoperating parameter corresponding to the fluid reservoir. In otherembodiments, the control unit includes a heart lung machine (HLM)control unit, and the HLM control unit is configured to adjust anoperating parameter corresponding to the fluid reservoir.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplaryembodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. For example, while the embodiments described above refer toparticular features, the scope of this disclosure also includesembodiments having different combinations of features and embodimentsthat do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, thescope of the present disclosure is intended to embrace all suchalternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope ofthe claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

1. A cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) perfusion system, comprising: a fluidreservoir having a shape and a capacity, the fluid reservoir configuredto hold a fluid having a volume; an imaging device configured to obtainimage data corresponding to the fluid reservoir; and a controllerconfigured to: receive the image data from the imaging device; determinethe volume based on the image data associated with an image regionhaving a shape that corresponds to the shape of the fluid reservoir;facilitate control, of an operating parameter corresponding to the fluidreservoir to facilitate changing or maintaining the volume of the fluid;and wherein the image region is configured to facilitate positioning ofthe imaging device in relation to the fluid reservoir by providing anotification if the image region is not aligned with the fluidreservoir.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging devicecomprises at least one of a camera, a photoconductive sensor, aphotodiode, a phototransistor, a photovoltaic sensor, and a chargecoupled device (CCD) sensor.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein thecontroller is further configured to provide, via a control panel havinga display device and based on the image data, a graphical user interface(GUI), the GUI comprising a representation of the fluid reservoir, therepresentation of the fluid reservoir comprising a representation of theportion of fluid and including a representation of the volume. 4.(canceled)
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein the representation of thefluid reservoir is configured to resemble the fluid reservoir, andwherein the representation of the volume is configured to resembleliquid within the fluid reservoir.
 6. The system of claim 3, wherein therepresentation of the fluid reservoir is an interactive representation,and wherein the controller is configured to receive a user inputassociated with the interactive representation of the portion of fluidand, in response to receiving the user input, facilitate adjusting anoperating parameter corresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitatechanging or maintaining the volume of the portion of fluid.
 7. Thesystem of claim 6, wherein the user input comprises manipulation by auser of a feature of the interactive representation of the fluidreservoir.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller isconfigured to facilitate control of the operating parametercorresponding to the fluid reservoir by causing a heart lung machine(HLM) control unit to adjust an operating parameter corresponding to thefluid reservoir.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controllerincludes a heart lung machine (HLM) control unit, and wherein the HLMcontrol unit is configured to adjust an operating parametercorresponding to the fluid reservoir.
 10. The system of claim 8, whereinthe HLM control unit is configured to control at least one of a venousclamp, a vacuum regulator, and an arterial pump.
 11. The system of claim3, the GUI further comprising interactive representations configured tofacilitate user selection of at least one of an alarm level, an alarmvolume, and a fluid volume set point.
 12. The system of claim 1, whereinthe controller is configured to facilitate control of an operatingparameter corresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitate continuallychanging the volume of the portion of fluid about a fluid volume setpoint.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configuredto: write a pixel test pattern to an imaging device memory, the pixeltest pattern comprising a pattern of pixels having one or more pixelgroups having values of at least one of color and intensity that are notexpected to occur naturally in the imaging environment; and determinewhether, during a next data acquisition cycle, the pixel test pattern isreplaced with an acquired image.
 14. The system of claim 1, wherein thecontroller is configured to detect frozen images by: generating an imagetest pattern; causing, using an optical mixer, the image test pattern tobe projected on an image sensor of the imaging device together with theimage data, the image data comprising a pattern associated with thefluid reservoir; and comparing the image test pattern to the patternassociated with the fluid reservoir, wherein, if the image test patternis at least approximately identical to the pattern associated with thefluid reservoir, the controller is configured to accept the image data.15. A cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) perfusion system, comprising: a fluidreservoir configured to hold a portion of fluid, the portion of fluidhaving a volume, the fluid reservoir having a total capacity that isgreater than the volume; an imaging device, the imaging deviceconfigured to obtain image data corresponding to the fluid reservoir;and a controller configured to: receive the image data from the imagingdevice; determine the volume based on the image data; and facilitatecontrol, in response to at least one of a user input and the determinedvolume of the portion of fluid; wherein the imaging device comprises avirtual curtain having an opening disposed therethrough, the openinghaving a shape that corresponds to a shape of the fluid reservoir,wherein the virtual curtain is configured to facilitate positioning ofthe imaging device in relation to the fluid reservoir.
 16. The system ofclaim 15, wherein the imaging device comprises at least one of a camera,a photoconductive sensor, a photodiode, a phototransistor, aphotovoltaic sensor, and a charge coupled device sensor.
 17. The systemof claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to provide,via a control panel having a display device and based on the image data,a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising a representation ofthe fluid reservoir including a representation of the portion of fluidand a representation of the volume.
 18. The system of claim 17, whereinthe representation of the fluid reservoir is an interactiverepresentation, and wherein the controller is configured to receive auser input associated with the representation of the portion of fluidand, in response to receiving the user input, facilitate adjusting anoperating parameter corresponding to the fluid reservoir to facilitatechanging or maintaining the volume of the portion of fluid.
 19. Thesystem of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to: write apixel test pattern to an imaging device memory, the pixel test patterncomprising a pattern of pixels having one or more pixel groups havingvalues of at least one of color and intensity that are not expected tooccur naturally in the imaging environment; and determine whether,during a next data acquisition cycle, the pixel test pattern is replacedwith an acquired image.
 20. The system of claim 15, wherein thecontroller is configured to detect frozen images by: generating an imagetest pattern; causing, using an optical mixer, the image test pattern tobe projected on an image sensor of the imaging device together with theimage data, the image data comprising a pattern associated with thefluid reservoir; and comparing the image test pattern to the patternassociated with the fluid reservoir, wherein, if the image test patternis at least approximately identical to the pattern associated with thefluid reservoir, the controller is configured to accept the image data.